Two Amherst houses pick up roots

By Nick Grabbe
Staff Writer

Published on April 18, 2008

The first of two old houses moved through downtown streets Tuesday, creating both a spectacle and traffic detours.

Both houses are owned by Amherst College, which is paying the bill to move them to a site near the intersection of Main and Gray Streets. The houses, built in 1830, are due to be renovated and sold.

The first house, from 23 Spring St., moved at about 9 a.m., said Aaron Hayden, project manager for the college.

It went west on Spring Street, turned right on Boltwood Avenue at the town common, then right on Main Street in front of Town Hall.

The move took several hours, Hayden said.

The house moved to make way for the expansion of the Lord Jeffery Inn.

The second house, currently at 415 South East St., was already cut in two pieces because it was too big to make the journey whole. It was due to move out around powerlines Wednesday. Early on Thursday morning, it was scheduled to begin its trek past the Amherst College tennis courts and onto a service road that intersects Route 9.

It was planned to go north on Dickinson Street, taking a left on Spring Street and following the same route as the other house, he said.